Some weeks ago I sent an email concerning Conservative policy with regard to football regulation and received a reply from Ms Nicola Sheldon (quoted below). This response, however, gives rise to further questions, which it appears should now be addressed to you.

First let me thank you, as a party, for your speedy response. I have written to all major political parties with similar questions and yours was amongst the most prompt responses, which reflects well on your party. I should also say that, although I am writing on my own behalf and do not represent a group or organisation, my correspondence does form part of a broader campaign and your response will be made available to other interested individuals via football supporter forums and the like.

Your response is positive, which is welcome, but speaks in general terms of a problem which is not a hypothetical or potential issue in the future but very much a real issue today; the situation is already quite clear and merits concrete policy response. Three questions in particular present themselves:

1. The proposed regulations relate to clubs participating in european competition, not the national leagues; they therefore represent an attempt to ensure a level playing field, preventing the kind of state-supported spending conducted by Real Madrid in recent years. The issue of ceding control does not arise - the FA will still govern the English Premier League, the Football League will still govern the Championship and lower divisions. UEFA's proposals will affect only those clubs participating in the Champions League and the Europa League. Given that, does the Conservative Party see the specific suggestions of M. Platini as worthy of support or not?

2. Given that this issue is very much a current one and one of great importance to many voters, it would surely be appropriate for the Conservative Party to take a position before the next election and not, as you suggest, only in the case of electoral victory. At the risk of stating the obvious, it is difficult to choose to vote for a party which will commit only to determining its policy stance after the election.

3. If the Conservative Party is determined that football regulation should remain purely a national matter (though, of course, it is already a matter for FIFA (at a world level) and UEFA (at a european level), in addition to the FA and the Football League), then what changes, if any, would the party implement at the national level once in power?

Once again, thank you for your prompt response to my initial email. I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely

_______________________________

On 19 Jan 2010, at 13:46, SHELDON, Nicola wrote:

Dear Mr xxxxxxxx,

Thank you very much for your email about football regulation and the proposals outlined by Michel Platini. It was very kind of you to let us have your views.
The Conservative Party are great supporters of the game of football and the good it can do in local communities. We have seen, first hand, the power of football up and down the country and absolutely agree with you that football is more than just a business.
However, we do believe that the financial regulation of clubs should be done on a national rather than European basis. We will look to protect the specificity of sport and maintain subsidiarity and autonomy from Europe rather than cede control of our national game to UEFA.
If we win the next election, we will look very closely at the issues you have outlined, and the solutions proposed by UEFA, but with a view to finding a solution at a national level.
Thank you again for your e-mail.

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reply from the tory cunts

Quote:

Dear Mr xxxxxxxx

Please forgive this short reply but we are absolutely inundated with e-mails and letters pre election. Hugh has not met Mr Platini, or been personally briefed about his proposals, and it would make no sense to take a public position before giving him the opportunity to present his proposals. However, we do believe very strongly that sport is a national competence and it should be down to the British football authorities to run football in this country.

The Conservative Party has some extremely exciting proposals for sport and, if you would like to send me your address, I will send you a copy of our sports manifesto.

platini's proposals are a matter of public record and are now uefa official policy. the suggestion that it is impossible to formulate an opinion on them without a face to face meeting is utterly laughable.

unfortunately, in spite of my very patient explanation of why 'national competence' is a complete non-issue in this context, the daft bint appears not to have grasped the point. as i said after the initial response, an obsessive fear of all things foreign or - worse - european appears to be the only thought they are capable of articulating.